Wellington coach Gemma Lewis says there’s no point in the Phoenix mourning their narrow A-League Women loss to the Newcastle Jets.
Lewis’ youthful side remain winless to start the season, after they were sunk by a Jemma House goal in the 82nd minute to lose 1-0 to Newcastle in Gosford on Monday.
House’s goal came after a deflection off the cross bar fell into her path and she poked in from close range.
The last time the two sides met the Phoenix were thumped 5-1.
But on Monday Wellington had every right to feel they had done enough to have at least earned a point as they forced Newcastle into mistakes and route-one football.
With a game against Sydney FC on Thursday, Lewis – whose side hasn’t claimed a point since an opening day draw with Western Sydney – said there was no time for crying over spilt milk.
“It is hard seeing them after the game, everyone was gutted,” Lewis said.
“Lily (Alfeld) rallied up the group. That game was chalk and cheese from the last one.
“We were competitive in this game, we were struggling to even be competitive the last time we played them.
“As much as this hurts, we can’t sit here and mourn it. We have to take it, we have to move on and push forward.
“We are trying to reshape their focus and to see the positives in the game and that it stings to lose, but learn from it and move on.”
Lewis said she was likely to rotate her side for the clash with the Sky Blues, with Kelli Brown and Grace Jale both struggling for full fitness.
But she will hammer home the point that at this level, her side needs to concentrate for the full 90 minutes.
“It’s really hard when 98 per cent of the time they have done everything we have asked of them, but it doesn’t matter if you switch off for that two per cent of the time because you’re still walking away with a loss,” she said.
